Nationals' Bryce Harper after MVP season: 'I don't think I'm a leader'

At 23 years old, Bryce Harper might be the Washington Nationals' most talented player, but he doesn't believe that qualifies him as a leader by default.

"I don't think I'm a leader," Harper said Monday, via The Washington Post. "I think I'm more just a guy playing the game. I think [Jayson Werth] and [Ryan Zimmerman] and all those guys are the leaders. I'm still at that stage of where I'm still looking at J-Dub, I'm still looking at Zim to do everything they can to make the best for this team. Then play as hard as I can out there and lead by example."

While he has asserted himself as a star talent during his fledgling major-league career and won the NL MVP Award last year, Harper has been in the majors for only four seasons.

"He has leadership potential, but he's not a leader yet," new Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. "How many people are going to follow the youngest kid in the room? And just because you're the most talented doesn't mean that you're the leader. I don't think it's really fair to put that even on him."

In his MVP season last year, Harper had 42 home runs, 99 RBI and an impressive .330/.460/.649 slash line.

While projections suggest that Harper will only improve as he continues to mature as a player, Baker doesn't plan to thrust any expectations upon him.

"Where were most of us at 23 years old?" Baker asked. "I'm not putting any limitations on him; I'm not going to put any pressure on him. I'm just [going to] let him be Bryce. The best thing I can do is let him be himself, let him be Bryce. That should be enough."